Marine Biology

at the University of North Florida

Marine Biology

at the University of North Florida

Coastal Biology Program

To get accepted into UNF, you have to have a baccalaurate degree from a regionally accredited college along with official transcripts from all attended institutions. Three letters of recommendation and a letter stating your educational goals, proffesional goals, provisional acceptance, and idication to be considered for a department position.

While at UNF, you take ecology, genetics, molecular and cell biology, physiology, and seminar preperation. You must select one botany, one zoology, and one aquatic elective. The program focuses on marine, oceanic, freshwater lake, and river habitats. All coastal habitats are within 15 miles from the campus. Its the only university with coastal habitats that close.

Every day life

Things like cleanups, marine conservation, and rehabilitation of injured marine animals are part of the life of a marine biologist. Conduct experiments, observing and analyzing data, and studying marine organisms are part of the daily life of a marine biologist.

Depending on what you specialize in, you could be studying coastal ecosystems, over-fishing, behavior in marine mammals, working at an aquarium, or collecting underwater samples. Diving and looking at coral reefs is part of the daily life. Sampling the ocean from a boat or ship, then studying them in a lab.

Marine Animals

Microbiology: Study microorganisms and bacteria in the ocean is important. Studying the food chain that connects herbivores to carnivores. Even studying and learning marine microbiology can help create cures and medicines.

Aquaculture: You research the development of individual organisms and their environment. It is to figure out if certain species need to be cultivated in order to meet the consumer demand.

Environmental: It is the study of ocean health. You need to make sure the quality of the water is sufficient enough for its inhabitants. Studying the quality of the water can help determine its effect on the organisms living in it. It also determines the safety of people visting those beaches.

Deep Sea: This includes the study of deep sea gases, how the animals live down there, and biological communities.

Ichthyology: The study of saltwater and freshwater fish. There are over 25,000 different species of fish.

Mammology: The study of cetaceans- families of whales, dolphins and pinnipeds. Everything about them is studied.

Ethology: The behavior of marine animals. Helps to understand how to protect these animals and see how they are threatened in their environment.